20 Great Things Well See At Comic Con

What we're expecting from San Diego...

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James Cameron has finally started to show off actual footage from the movie, and the promotional effort is really kicking into gear.

Good thing, because the film itself arrives in cinemas in December.

We’re hoping for a 3D footage presentation – especially since Warners has announced that the event’s Hall H has been outfitted with the technology to handle it for their Final Destination panel.

Perhaps JC will bring a trailer. Maybe he’ll bring the footage (or some of it) that he showed at the Cinema Expo in Amsterdam last month.

Whatever it is, if you’re attending the event, you won’t want to miss it...

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Ghostbusters

Last year, we were promised a big, splashy announcement about Ghostbusters, which turned out to be a damp squib about the game with none of the alledgedy scheduled original cast attending the panel.

This year, with development properly underway, we’re wondering if they’ll announce some casting or a director for Ghostbusters 3.

We’d even settle for Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis at the panel offering more information. But that would be a long way down the list.

On the subject of the characters, we’re pretty sure they’ll be represented on the con floor by the Steampunk Ghostbusters team (above).

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Booth Babes!

Yes, any large event dedicated to genres/items that a male-dominated crowd finds attractive can usually be found staffed with attractive ladies.

That said, the Comic Con teams tend to put a little bit more effort in, with proper costumes and actual knowledge about the subject they’re promoting. Well, usually.

And for an event that has often been seen as overloaded with sweaty male nerds, the crowd has been changing over the years, with a steady stream of female fans just as eager to see cool movie/comic/TV/book events as their male counterparts.

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Jon Favreau

Even when he was just stumping for Zathura, Favreau put on a good show. But in 2007, when he was promoting Iron Man, the director really pulled out all the stops.

First, he faked the crowd with a video message “apologising” for not being there, but promising exclusive footage from the movie. Which turned out to by hilariously bad material from the old ‘toon show.

His crowning achievement was the teaser, with some near-finished effects, which brought the house and had the crowd baying for more. He also gives great, funny, honest answers to questions at panels.

Crazy Costumes

If there’s one thing Comic Con attendees love more than watching new footage or snapping up dealers’ merchandise, it’s turning up in costume.

The Con even has a masquerade on the Saturday night where the craziest outfits are both celebrated and gently mocked by the audience.

Our favourites are when pushy parents cajole the kids into playing along – we can’t even count the number of Little Wolverines we’ve seen. Poor little blighters…

In 2009, we expect to see more Transformers, plenty of X-Men and maybe some GI Joe suits. Oh, and an overweight Chewbacca.

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Kick-Ass

Matthew Vaughn is making and releasing Kick-Ass as a largely independent film. So it stands to reason he’d want to bring footage and some the stars (Nic Cage? Chris Mintz-Plasse?) to the place where he can get the pic before a lot of comics fans.

Of course, it doesn’t always work out well – The Spirit attempted to appeal to fans, and Frank Miller only dug himself in deeper into problems with fans after a dire presentation.

But other projects can receive a huge boost – just ask Jon Favreau.

We’re betting Vaughn will show. And hit it big.

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Freddy Krueger

No, not Robert Englund (though he might be around signing autographs in the upstairs chambers)… Jackie Earle Haley.

The producers of the new Nightmare On Elm Street reboot know they’ve got a fight to reassure fans that the fresh take on Freddy will add to, not detract from, the franchise.

So what better way than to bring a teaser and, more, importantly. Jackie Earle Haley, the man slipping on the knife-happy glove and sweater.

Haley’s a natural entertainer and went down a storm with the Watchmen crowd, so he’s surely a no-brainer.

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Sherlock Holmes

Like his old mucker Matthew Vaughn, Guy Ritchie’s got something to prove with Sherlock Holmes.

And since Warners is holding a panel for the film, he’ll have to prove it in Hall H in front of thousands of film fans.

Can he stop worries that this latest Holmes is an overly comic romp, or convince us all that that’s the best it could possibly be?

Dunno, but if he brings crowd favourite Robert Downey Jr and the lovely Rachel McAdams along, he might have a chance.

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Goodies

Comic Con is always seen as a place for toy/gadget and other merchandising sellers to show off exclusives you can only get at the Con.

This year, among the offerings are the Diamond Select Angry Stay Puft Bank (yours for $20), Friday The 13th Jason bust (with removable mask!), T2 Minimates and an exclusive version of the Star Trek prequel comic.

Yes, you can find pretty much anything you’re after – just be aware that you’ll be paying Con prices…

Where The Wild Things Are

We’ve been watching the trailer repeatedly (some might say obsessively) and now that he’s finally ready to present the film, we want Spike Jonze to take the opportunity to show us more.

Wild Things could use some extra positive buzz after the months of reshoot talk that the trailer has only slightly helped with.

Get the Con crowd on board and th Wild Things will be on their way.

Oh, and to help out, we’d suggest having actual Wild Things (well, suits, at any rate) wandering the event.

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John C Reilly Dressed As A Vampire

You know what we haven’t seen much of? Footage from Cirque Du Freak.

That might be because the movie doesn’t arrive until early next year, but we think it’s about time we got a proper look at the vampire drama.

When we talked to Ray Stevenson at last year’s event, he couldn’t say enough nice things about the film.

So what we’re asking for is footage and John C Reilly showing up in costume. Come on John… You know you want to!

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Ridley Scott

We know Scott doesn’t mind turning up at the Con if it’s for a good cause (he was there in 2007 with Blade Runner).

Our dream scenario is that he'll either announce that A) the Alien prequel is off or B) he's directing it, to make sure it'll be good.

And while period drama Robin Hood doesn’t sound like prime Comic Con material, if Warners can bring Sherlock Holmes then Scott could bring Hood.

Plus, since the definition of what the event covers over the years has shifted considerably once Hollywood discovered it could get real attention for genre movies, we’re thinking Universal might try to drum up some extra coverage.

Toy Story 3

Pixar has brought a presentation to the Con for the last several years – we can still remember being wowed by a combination of footage from Wall-E and Ben Burt doing a demonstration of how he made the soundscape.

And with Toy Story 3 arriving next year, there’s no better time – and crowd – for the animation geniuses to play to.

We fully expect Disney to bring director Lee Unkrich and possibly Pixar/Disney chief/cheerleader John Lasseter (since Toy Story was and is his baby) to wow the audience. And maybe even 3D footage…

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Michel Gondrys Green Hornet Test

Yes, we know… The Green Hornet is still only in pre-production. We doubt they’ll have shot a frame before Comic Con.

But we’ve all heard about Michel Gondry’s test footage that he shot as an audition to convince Sony he should direct the film when Stephen Chow dropped out.

What if Gondry brought that to show? It would provoke more headlines than a million-dollar marketing budget.

Failing that, Seth Rogen. In character. With Kato – which will either be Stephen Chow (fingers crossed, folks) or a new, as-yet-undecided thesp.

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Interactive Movie Promotions

Last year, Warners scored points with fans by bringing the actual Owl Ship (above) used on the set of Watchmen and letting people climb into it/have their pictures taken.

This year, we don’t yet know who will be bringing what in terms of surprise displays/sets, but we’ve got some advice: get creative.

What about a tent from Prince Of Persia (which surely hits lots of Con demographics, since it’s a film adapted from a video game?)

Or if Joe Carnahan has selected the Van for The A-Team, why not bring that?

And since Warners is bringing something Jonah Hex, how about a booth where you can be made up to look like the freaky gunslinger currently being played by Josh Brolin?

If any of these should actually happen, we want payment. Just sayin’…

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Sly Stallone's Pec-Off

For The Expendables, Sly Stallone has a truly eclectic, cult cast.

But how best to use them? For a start, half of them would usually be seen at the autograph booths (Dolph Lundgren, we’re looking at you), but we’re sure Sly will want more than that.

He doesn’t usually frequent Comic Con, but perhaps he could make an exception and launch real footage from the movie.

Either that, or he and the cast could challenge Con-goers to feats of strength. Fancy your chances against Jason Statham? Prove it!

People would talk about it – and the pictures would be hilarious.

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Scott Pilgrim

Edgar Wright. Directing an adaptation of one of the most beloved graphic novels of recent times.

Think he’ll be bringing something? Come on - you know it to be true.

This is a man who has been posting pictures every single day from the set, with the odd sprinkling of video blogs to boot. He’s sure to bring something, but what?

We’re guessing cast and some teaser footage and likely comic creator Bryan Lee O’Malley to rave about what a good job Edgar’s done.

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Simon Pegg And Nick Frost

They recently announced that they won’t be shooting scenes for Paul at the Con because of logistics, which is a real disappointment.

But since they’re in the country filming the thing anyway, it would be a short hop up to San Diego to promote the hell out of the film.

And since Edgar Wright’s Scott Pilgrim (see previous) entry will be there, chances are we’ll see another semi-Spaced reunion.

But even if it’s just a video message from the set, expect Pegg and Frost to have a presence.

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Tron Tease?

Whatever it ends up being called – Tron 2, Tron 2.0, Tr2n (ugh), Tron: The Next Pixilation, the Tron sequel will surely aim to have some sort of panel.

After last year’s surprise teaser, which saw Jeff Bridges watch his younger self finish off a Light Bike opponent, we’re thinking the new movie (which is now shooting up in Canada) might have something to offer.

It likely won’t be much just yet – it’s an effects-intensive movie and it’s not even due until 2011. But maybe there’ll be a new teaser, and in 3D this time…

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Kevin Smith

True, he’s been busy shooting A Couple Of Dicks with Bruce Willis And Tracy Morgan.

But Smith is a Comic Con stalwart and with Dicks coming out early next year, it stands to reason that Smith would bring his Q&A schtick back to Hall H, where he’s wowed crowds with his legendary honesty.

He’s better value than some stand-up comics, so we’re hoping he’ll be back…

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